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Posts Tagged ‘logo designs’

18August

Get in the Game: Game Logos Part II

Board Game Logos

I personally never really liked board games for most of my life until the last few years when I took a major interest in them and realized that they are a lot of fun. There are many really great ones out there that are both challenging and enjoyable, however I usually find the classic games to be the best. Its got to be hard to try to come up with games that can top monopoly, scrabble, yahtzee or clue. They are just too good, which is why they have stayed popular for such a long time.

My interest in games lead me to assess the logos and box art that is displayed so proudly on the game’s cover. It seems that most of them are simple designs such as a manipulated font or just colored text. I found it difficult to find pictures of the logos themselves, so you get to see the entire box cover for most of them, but you can get the idea.

This is actually the cover of a Nintendo DS game, but the game is based on a few of the original board games, so it was a good example of a bunch of their logos all in one. Most of these seem to be simple text with few flashy graphics, but I believe that is because high quality graphic design was not as convenient at the time when these board games were fresh and new.

The Monopoly design is very simple with just the name of the game in a red banner. Other versions of the game’s logo had the same design, but with Mr. Monopoly popping his head out of the center. This same design was later modified in which higher tech graphics were used to give Mr. Monopoly a more 3D look. A shadow was added behind his hand and he is in color. The letters themselves are also more 3 dimensional and emerge a bit from their red banner background.

The Scrabble Board game logo has gone through an update as well. The original was very formal and classy, using a lot of curly ends on the letters. The “S” and the “E” had a handwritten script look to it and the “R” only came down below the “A.” In the new version, the “R” extends below the entire rest of the word. It also lost the red scroll in the background and gained an abstract, bubbly design behind the letters. This version has a much more modern look, which may help it appeal to the current generation.

With simple capital lettering in blocks of color, the game of Life always keeps its logo, but changes backgrounds according to different themes it has taken on over time.

Candy Land has the perfect logo for its title. What better way to demonstrate a world of candy, but with lettering that is made up of peppermint sticks? It’s just a preview of the peppermint forest that you travel through while playing the game.

Blokus is quite an enjoyable game if you get a chance to play. It is one that I think every gamer should try out if they haven’t already. It is a basic strategy game, but is a lot of fun. Their logo isn’t bad either. The square design is right from the game and the four colors represent the four players.

I enjoy this game, although I think there should be an apple somewhere in that logo. The lettering and colors do seem to suit it, but with a picture of an apple missing, it just seems incomplete.

I think that board games have been pushed aside a bit with all of the newer technologies that are available, but I still find them to be great pass times. They are something to do that is social and can bring people together. A party just isn’t the same without breaking out a game of Balderdash or Apples to Apples. If you haven’t tried it yet, its a great way to get a party going.

-Nora Reed
Tags: board game logos, board games, brand, classic games, gamers, identity, logo designs
Posted in Graphic Design, Logo Inspiration, LogoBlog | 2 Comments »

03August

A Logo’s Life: Histories of Major Logos

With time, things naturally progress and the same applies to logos. A company’s logo is its visual identity, but if it has had the same design for years, a logo design can become outdated. Recreating a company logo can sometimes mean re-evaluating the values of the company and assessing the market and current situations going on in the world. A logo can go through many changes during the life of the company it represents, especially if it is a major company that has been in existence for a long time. Here are some great examples of the changing life of logos.

Paramount

Warner Brothers

MGM

Paramount, Warner Brothers and MGM are a few of the larger, more successful film studios and have been around for a long period of time. As you can see, they have also experienced many logo changes throughout their progression. Since the ability to create better graphics is always advancing, film studios, especially, need to keep up with it. Better graphics in their logo can give the impression that there are better graphics in the film and draw a bigger audience. It’s always about selling and the better you sell your company, the better you will sell your product. Sometimes its the little things that make a bigger difference.

Google

It seems that originally, Google had an exclamation point at the end of their logo, much like Yahoo!. It looks like they did away with it in 1999, which is a wise decision for them in my opinion. It is important to stand out among the competition and steer away from similar ideas. No matter who had it first, someone has to break down and give in. It looks like Google was the one to do so, but they became more successful, so it worked out for them in the end.

Motel 6

Apple

NBC

Pepsi

Pepsi has been through many identity changes over the years. For larger companies, it is easier for them to put forth the money for changing branding strategies. Pepsi has definitely kept up with its competition and its newest logo has stirred up so much controversy, that is seems to have skyrocketed them right into the spotlight.

Cadillac

BMW

Car companies also go through a lot of identity changes. BMW seems to have stayed fairly similar, but just made simple updates over the years. Nothing is wrong with that as long as the logo is still suited for the times and the nature of the business. Logo updates are one great way for a business to tell the world that they keep themselves fresh and always have new products or ideas to offer the public. Visual representation is a major way to sell your business and keeping your logo strong is just as important as selling your product.

-Nora Reed
Tags: design past, historic, informative, logo designs, logo history, logo progression
Posted in Graphic Design, Logo Inspiration, LogoBlog | 4 Comments »

29May

Hungry? Restaurant Logos That Make an Impact

How do you choose where you want to eat when you go out? Is your decision based on atmosphere, price, food selection? How about logos? Have you ever thought that a restaurant’s logo can determine the path your appetite follows? There are a ton of them out there and some are much more effective than others. How does a logo make you hungry? Take a closer look!

The above designs are all, for the most part, very effective. They clearly show the type of food to expect and even a hint of the atmosphere all within a simple design.

The Perkins logo is an example of a terrible design based on a food related business. It is plain and boring and nothing about it is appealing to one’s appetite. Word of mouth and maybe some minimal advertising seems to be the only way that we know what Perkins is and what it sells.

The Fuddruckers logo looks to me like a logo for a disco style club or a skating rink. If it didn’t have the word “hamburger” within the logo, I wouldn’t know that it was a restaurant at all just based on the design. No wonder this place went out of business so quickly.

Ted’s Montana Grill has a great logo in which they display the one thing that makes them most unique: Bison! Although the sale of bison meat is becoming more popular among upper class dining, Ted’s was one of the original chains to start it, basing their menu mostly on bison. Their other major theme relates to our “green” society in which they use organic and recycled materials. This is a great concept, but what I don’t like is how they attempt to include that theme in their logo with the line, “Eat great. Do good.” I think this takes it a little too far and is not necessary. It feels like it forces the issue.

Ah, Burger King. This is a great logo for the fast food chain. It clearly shows what they sell and is large and bold implying their success in the business and that they are the “king” of burgers.

I love the Boston Market Logo. It looks very clean and subtle, implying that there is no need to be flashy to get attention. It also has a simple oval shape, but the oval vaguely appears to be a roasting chicken so they are displaying their product all the while.

There are way too many restaurants out there to mention them all, but a logo for the food service industry should have certain qualities. It should demonstrate the product it’s selling, avoid overly flashy styles and express a bit of the atmosphere that the restaurant has to offer. You can see that the more successful the logo is, the more successful the restaurant will be as well.
-Nora Reed
Tags: design, fast food, logo designs, logos, restaurant logos
Posted in Logo Design Tips, Logo Inspiration, LogoBlog | 5 Comments »

26May

Inspiring Logos with Hidden Treasures

A single logo can make or break a company and its marketing. A logo offers many benefits such as creating an image that consumers can remember and trust, helping a company stand out among other businesses and creating a specific identity for that company. Although every business should have a logo, it isn’t not enough to have it for the sake of having it. A business’s logo design must stand out and bring some personality to that company.

There are many ways to make your logo stand out. Several simple graphic design tricks, can add a unique and clever look to a logo design. A logo should not be a plain or boring symbol, it should be a specific design that reflects the ideals and goals of the business or company. The final design of a well done logo often appears to be very simple, even though a lot of thought and drafts were actually put into it. Here are some famous logos which are sure to leave a lasting impression. They all have hidden symbols within them. Take a closer look and see what the designer has embedded within the design.

Yoga Australia
When you first glance at this logo, you see a simple picture of a young girl doing yoga exercises, but if you look closer at the body posture, you can see that it forms the Australian continent.

Body Wisdom
This design is for a classy day spa. The hands convey a relaxing massage and are combined with an image of “owl eyes” to demonstrate “wisdom.”

Fed Ex
The Fed Ex logo is a popular and well known design, but have you ever noticed the arrow formed out of the negative space between the letters “E” and “X”. The arrow indicates direction, speed and reliability.

Heart Beats
For this design, two musical notes curl to make a heart and headphones. This logo expresses “Love for Music” and is a clever play on the name of the company.

Piano Forest
Jason Cho: Designer
This logo gives is subtle, but creates the elegant design of piano keys that look like trees to resemble a keyboard/piano. You can shift your eyes to see either one.

Fuga
The Fuga logo is a recreation of the Architectural Center Of Budapest, which actually appears more like a maze, but if you focus more on the white spaces, the company name will stand out much more.

Mosleep
The designer has dreamed up a bed with the letter “M” for this design. This logo represents an organization of doctors who’s goal is to study sleep disorders.

Hartford Whalers
There are 3 concepts displayed here at the same time. The largest and easiest to spot is a whale’s tail, which is also the letter “W” in green, while the white space forms an “H” for Hartford. Sadly the logo wasn’t enough to keep them in Hartford.

Toblerone
It is easy to ignore the logo while enjoying this treat. At first glance, it seems like an obvious design of the Swiss Alps, but look a little closer. The name Toblerone originated in Bern, Switzerland. This city is rumored to mean, “City of Bears”. Take a look at the logo again, you will see a bear in the center of the Mountain. Now we know why this was Einstein’s favorite candy bar.

Big Ten
The Big Ten collegiate sports conference actually has eleven schools, but they started out with ten. Once the last school was added (PENN STATE), they didn’t want to go through the process of changing their name, which they had already established, so they changed their logo instead to hide the numerical “11” within the design.

Amazon
This logo is extremely famous. It appears clean and simple, but have you noticed that the looks like a smile. The concept behind this is that it Amazon.com has everything from a to z, which the arrow indicated. The hidden message is the smile that the arrow represents which is what is brought to the customer’s face.
Tags: company branding, Corporate Identity, hidden symbols, logo designs, logos
Posted in Logo Inspiration, LogoBlog | 5 Comments »

11May

The Wonderful World of Disney Logos

Although it may be a power hungry empire, or as Bart Simpson calls it an “evil corporation,” Disney truly has risen to the top over time. Their Mickey Mouse head logo alone is a global trademark. Disney has its main logos that we all know very well, but if you think about it further, Disney is the proud owner of dozens of logos. Take a look at their theme parks alone. Each ride, park, sections of the parks and even hotels all have individual names and logos.

This logo encapsulates all four of the main Disney World theme parks. Here we have the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Each Park does have its own logo, but the above design combines them all. Disney generally uses the above logo on their merchandise bags and their dishware at their fast food restaurants. This way they can use the same bags and cups and such at all four of their parks. Below are the four main logos that represent each individual park in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Disney is also the proud owner of several other theme parks in Orlando and all over the world. With Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Disneyland Paris and Honk Kong and California Adventure, to name a few, Disney has a ton of logos under their belt. Not only do they create new logos and advertising for all of there resorts, attractions and parks, but they continue to update them every several years as well. Disney has a very classic theme for itself to draw in older generations that know it as it used to be, but they also are always changing and updating. The oxymoron is quite interesting and I’m sure, challenging to the designers.

Aside from all the great park logos, Disney resorts and attractions cannot be left out. There are so many, that it would take an extremely long post to display them all, but below are a select few that I found appealing. Some are from specific shopping locations, while others are resort names and specific rides within the parks.

It must be great to be a Disney logo designer, because you know that if they like your work, you probably have a pretty steady job. They are always changing and developing new resorts and attractions, so they always need new logos to advertise. In today’s economy, every company must keep things fresh to draw more people to them and Disney is no different. If they didn’t know what they were doing, they wouldn’t be in business as long as they have!
-Nora Reed
Tags: disney, disney logos, logo designs, logos
Posted in Logo Inspiration, LogoBlog | 5 Comments »